


Catch me if you can

by cupcakesandfanfics



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe- Crime, Criminal Louis, Gen, M/M, crime liam, crime zayn, mob liam, mob zayn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-12
Updated: 2013-10-16
Packaged: 2017-12-29 04:21:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1000822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cupcakesandfanfics/pseuds/cupcakesandfanfics
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a three way power war going on in the streets. Liam, runs the financial quarter and the upper districts. The clocks don't even tick without his go ahead on 4th Avenue. However, if it's lower city slums, the harbour, and the plazas you're in, you'd hear Zayn's name whisper in the shadows. City law enforcement run most of downtown- for now, and Louis? well. Louis considers himself a man of righteous intent, but that doesn't mean his hand isn't open to the highest bidder. On this particular night, his allegiances lie with Liam, who's promised to line Louis' pockets if he can rid his highrise of the stink that is Harry styles.</p><p>Also! If you're wondering about relationship type stuff.. yes, there will be a fair share o smut and at times fluff, between what pairing? youll have to wait and see!!</p><p>Lastly, everything is written from Louis' point of view</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prelude

**Author's Note:**

> So here's the thing, I've never written a fanfiction before, but I like to write so I did this mostly for my pleasure. However, it can be for you guys too. If this doesn't get much attention, it shall be my first one shot, if people want to see where it goes, I can update pretty regularly.
> 
> everything is written from Louis' point of view.

"It’s nine o’clock kiddo"

'You don't think I know what time it is? I've been waiting here two hours.. I got nothing but time' I said with impatience, the close of a day dragging weary on my muscles.

"Don’t get snappy with me, Louis, or you can find your own damn way off that skyscraper. Where are you anyway, twenty.. fifth floor? One hundred and seventy five feet up, Am I reading that right?"

'I can't tell if you're still fucking with me.. You had to say how high I was! You know I hate heights.'

"Yeah well, I guess you should have thought that through before you decided to be a sniper" Niall said, with a laugh in his tone.

I let out a long sigh. There’s a pause in the radio chatter dialogue before Nial’s voice hums out of the piece in my ear. “I’m just playing with you mate, I know this isn’t your first choice of career.” The sound echos, bouncing off the concrete walls and plastic covered glass panes of the unfinished downtown structure.

'I don't think it's anyone's first choice.' I sigh again, half trying to catch my breath and half out of remorse. 'It shouldn't be anyway.'

"You’re doing a good thing Louis, you keep scumbag mob bosses like this guy off the street. You never know who he’ll grab next, could be me very own kids" That last line was something Niall always said before we were about to take a life. It helped reassure us that we were better, we had a reason to kill, not like those petty inner city thugs.

'I know I, we’re, doing a good thing. It just feels different, you know? When we were part of the city police there was never a doubt in my mind that we were a force of justice, you know? A force of the people. But now.. I wonder sometimes.’ 

I stared straight ahead at the wall ahead of me, a blank concrete wall, nothing extraordinary about it, except it just wasn’t supposed to be there. ‘Are you kidding me, Ni? I’m at a wall, a dead end.’ I immediately regretted the snap in my words. ‘Where’d you get these building plans from? Google maps?’

Ni’s voice echoed through the skeleton structure again. “Hold yer horses”. The steady flow of fingers tapping over a keyboard in the background. “Where are ya?”

'Twenty fifth floor, quadrant B, facing west.'

"You’re backwards" The boy said back, flatly. 

My cheeks flushed pink, my hand tightening into a light fist. Rookie mistake I cursed myself lightly under my breath. ‘Right’ I responded, equally as flat.

"It’s not like you to get turned around Lou. How many years you been doing this? Six? Seven? Everything okay up there?" 

'Everybody makes mistakes, mate' I said as nonchalant as I could.

"Shooters don’t lie to their trackers. Remember Berry and kevin? Poor fellas, been fightin’ all week, Berry had no idea the lad was leadin’ him right into a death trap."

I chuckled, memories of all the jokes coming to mind. ‘God, it’s been years, almost forgot about him, and I’m at hallway c-2’

"You dodged a question. Turn left."

'I'm fine, I'm fine, just got abit lost. You know how dark it is up here? Not to mention the draft, I need a god damn cup of tea when I get back'

"Hah, I’ll see what we’ve got"

I smiled abit, focusing on the last of the climb to the maintenance balcony.

Most tracker/shooter teams didn’t make it past two years. The relationships don’t work out, they fight too much and make mistakes, or they get second thoughts about the life of a vigilante. There’s a hefty price on the concious for acting as the tools of shadowy law in this city, but lord above knows it pays equally as well. It really never dawned on me just how long Niall and I have been working together until he brought it up. Popping jokes made it easier on us, pretending this was just another day at office helped keep stress down.

The sudden burst of city lights stung my eyes, a sharp contrast to the shadows of what I had emerged from. ‘I’m here’

"Time marked, nineteen minutes."

I began assembling the pieces of my rifle together, stashed here in the days before by a runner. The light reflected off the prayer engraved into the barrel. "The righteous stand before the dark, the Maker guiding my hand." I smiled again, remembering what the engraver had said all those years ago. “Quite a weird thing, eh? To get a prayer engraved on a hunting rifle. You religious folk even feel bad for your dinner, I tell you what, if God be sendin’ you to hell for putting food in yer family’s belly, I’ll be right down der with ya” My lips moved, repeating the words mockingly. Shame it wasn’t really the barrel of a hunting rifle, and it sure wasn’t deer I was after. 

'I'm good to go, count me windows'

"third row, starting from the left, ninth window in. How you feeling?"

'Why do you keep asking that? What's the wind?'

"Fourteen miles, west, updraft from your height. You seem bothered, you’re never this serious before a kill."

I set my sights on the window, locked the position on the metal legs propping the rifle up.

'It's nothing, it's dumb. The name is all, just sounds familiar, I'm sure I'm making it up in my head though.'

"Harry Styles? That name sounds familiar to you? How many fucking Harry Styles could you have ever heard of- and more importantly, Louis why the hell are you telling me this now, we have a rule, no familiar faces, nobody we’ve met before, it gets too messy. The last thing I need is you falling down with the guilt in the shower while I’m sittin on my arse tryin-“

'Jesus, Niall, I don't know him, I just said it sounded familar,' I said, interrupting him sharply. 'Don't give me this now, I need my focus' I breathed out slowly, trying to regain my icy disposition.

"Right, well any minute now, he should be walkin’ through that door"

"Any minute now" could be anywhere from five minutes to a couple hours, depending on whatever the target had going on that night. In my experience it was almost always the latter. I prepared my arms for a long time spent in one position. 

-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^

"If it’s a matter of money Lou.." The boys voice startling me out of my dagger eyed gaze, breaking an almost forty five minute radio silence.

'What are you on about?'

"I know things have been tight for you lately.. and It’s not hard to tell, anyone with a bounty that size would be a tempting target, but mate,it’s not worth it."

'Jesus Ni, still on about this?'

"Remember Rob? Shot that guy, said he looked familiar, two weeks later he’s in the looney bin cause he broke down into hysterics everytime somebody even mentioned his name, turns out their kids went to the same daycare."

'I don't know him, Ni'

"Then why the hell are you tellin’ me he sounds familar? I got the right mind to shut down this operation right now- I can smell the goddamn suspicion off you from four blocks down"

'Liam would have your head' I smirked, laughing into the tiny microphone

"I don’t give a rat’s ass ‘bout what payno wants"

'Besides, I've never missed a target and I'm not about to break that record. Are we still at current wind speeds?'

"Yeah nothing’s changed, hows the view?"

'Fine, nothing yet, 'cept for this pigeon keeps bothering me'

"Aye, pigeons are a sign of a guilty concious, you sure you’re not bugging out?"

'You know what Ni, I think you might be my next target' I said, laughing into the earpiece 'Count your days, Irishman'

"Who says I’m the target? Maybe I’ve got you locked into my sights right now, Lou. Damn, can’t say it’d be possible for you to look any better than you already do.. " Niall feigns a catcall through the earbud "That perfectly styled fringe.. sandy brown, salt water blue eyes, ugh, don’t get me started on how tight that black jumpsuit clings to your curves, I’d tear it right off you" 

I laughed feverishly ‘Fuck off!’ Of course he had named everything I was wearing down to the last detail, but it didn’t surprise me. A good tracker always had eyes in the city. 

'You're bout as gay as I am, mate'

"I get rowdy when it’s been awhile between, ya know. The lines of sexuality start to blur" 

It’s true, Ni hadn’t brought home his usual big breasted black hair, tight dress, club-goer in awhile. 

-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^

The lights suddenly flicked on in the windows across the street, projecting a shadow through my scope and onto my face.

"Shit, he’s home. Two window light up"

Quick clatter of laptop keys

"Left one, entrance, kitchen, living room. Right one, bathroom, master suit. Blinds?"

'No, clear view through both windows. I don't see him yet though, he must still be in the doorway'

"Jesus, hope he’s alone" Niall breathed through the piece, into my ear. The situation quickly becoming tense

'You jinxed it, blond bimbo, right arm'

"Anyone we know?"

I didn’t recognize the face, probably some poor girl, didn’t know just what she was getting herself into when she accepted his drink at the bar. I tapped the button on the side of my scope, wirelessly beaming Niall a picture. ‘You tell me.’

A strained moment passes

"Network says she’s a nobody, part time clerk, no record. We’re still on go ahead orders."

Turn around Mr. Styles, I need to verify who I’m shooting at, I whisper mostly to myself

For the first time, the target’s face is shown. Brown curls, slicked up, probably more neat this morning than they are now, and green eyes. Glowing jade orbs.

'Jesus'

"What’s wrong?"

'It's him'

I stared through the sights, in genuine disbelief. Following his face as he walked around the counter, setting the woman at the bar stools across, while preparing a drink. 

"You son OF A BITCH, YOU FUCKING-"

Niall took a moment to collect himself, evident by the sound of him taking the headset off and placing it on the desk of his hideout

"You said, Louis, you didn’t know this guy. Now you’re lieing to me?"

'This guy is already dead.’

"Don’t get cocky"

'I'm not being cocky, I went to his funeral”

"Yeah, well tough luck. He’s on the other end of your fucking barrel. What’s your plan? Take the shot? or leave him? Jesus Lou, how do you even know this guy?"

'School'

"What?"

'Highschool, we were friends in highschool' 

"Tell me you’re not attached to this guy"

'We used to be close'

"You’re bitching out, oh jesus," The blond boy whimpers through the earpiece "Payno’s already sent the money, Lou, he’s going to have our fucking heads. You know if you don’t kill him now some other amateur will be up here doing it for you in two days!"

'I didn't say I wasn't going to take the shot.' My voice cold and collected.

"Well? are you?"

I stood thinking it over, still tracking the boy’s face with my rifle.

What are you doing here in Staltworth city, Harry? Where have you been all this time? I breathed, barley audible.

In a moment of what could only be my imagination, the boy put down his glass at the bar and turned- only with his head- towards the window, verdant green eyes piercing my own.

I gasped, locking gazes with the boy for a split second; impossible

 

He focused his attention back to the beauty across from him, with an added smirk

'That's not? That's? Impossible'

"What’s going on Louis?"

'I think he knows Ni, he just, he' I couldn't find the words to put anything that was currently going on into expression. Letters tumbling around my mouth like marbles left me stammering.

"There’s no way he could Lou, there’s just no way. Must have been a coincidence, he was just looking out the window. What are the chances?"

'You're right, there's no way.'

"Take the shot Louis, before he moves."

'If he knows we're here Niall, we've been compromised, somebody's leaked him the information. Liam will want him. They'll beat it out of him'

"Take the shot, our orders are clear"

'Our orders were on the assumption that this guy is somebody he's clearly not!'

"I swear, Lou, take the fucking shot, before half of Liam’s gang is up there after you"

'Ni, listen to me'

"No, Lou, no, you have no choice. There is no "Listen" pull the trigger” Niall’s voice was getting more desperate by the minute, I could hear it in him, almost like the emotion was seeping from his skin and into the microphone of his headset. I’ve never seen him like this before.

'You're right, I have no choice.' Pulling back the hammer on the loading mechanism of my rifle, and letting the unused round fall from the chamber, dinging against the concrete. 'Taking aim.' I dug into a pouch hanging off of the back of my belt, taking another bullet, this one with a flat black tip, clearly different than an average round. Slipping it in hastily, and pulling the hammer mechanism once more. The bullet locked into place with an audible cling. 

'Five, four,' I began counting myself down in the dead of the night. 

"You’re too late Louis! Payne’s guys are in there now! They know something’s going on!"

' three, two,' 

The smash of splintered wood could be heard, and the shadows of two burly men emerged before coming into view.

'Lord have mercy' I quickly said out loud, a small prayer.

BANG.

A loud crack through the cold air, as the group of birds around me instantly took flight. Screaming in a female’s voice clearly heard over the city noise.

Pulling back the rifle, discarded round flying through the air in a whirl of white smoke.

BANG.

I looked through my scope once more to view the aftermath. The woman with hands to her face, mouth agape in horror, fleeing the apartment, dodging the two crumpled bodies.

Holding my breath, noting the faint groans of the men inside

"I heard a shot, tell me we’ve got a body, Lou."

'Two'

"What do you mean two?"

'Liam's men are down.'

A short silence made me imagine Niall tensing up at his desk.

"Where’s the target?"

'Hit, but not down.'

"How the hell does a sniper round not put him down?"

'Wasn't my bullet that hit him' 

"You missed? Twice? You never miss, Louis. How’d the other guys go down? Was Styles Armed?"

A moment of silence as I considered my words.

'No, both my shots landed'

"What the hell are you saying? You took down Payno’s men?"

"Hard rubbers, stun pellets, they’re not dead."

"Louis! Tell me you did not just get in Liam’s way. You know he’s going to bring you in and.. jesus, who knows what he’ll do if he never catches this guy again"

'You told me he was just a messenger'

"Well, that’s what Liam said.."

'Don't be so blind Ni, nobody puts a million dollar bounty on a messenger. Liam's itching to blow the whole fucking place up and you think he's a nobody?'

"I just follow orders."

'This is bigger than both of us'

The sound of two more sharp cracks caught my attention, forcing my whole body to snap around. I put my eye to the scope again.

'Jesus'

Niall huffed. “What now? You going to tell me he got away?”

'He's killed em'

"No"

'Both men, he fucking shot them straight to the head'

I leaned back in disbelief

"WHERE DID HE GET A PISTOL FROM, AND WHY IS HE STILL ALIVE LOUIS? WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!You can still fix this, please Lou, I don’t want to see anything happen to you.. just.. just take the shot, bring Liam his corpse and maybe he’ll over look the whole thing"

"I’m out" The nine round clip on my belt a clear testament to my lie.

"You’re fucking-… Louis, I don’t. I. " Niall whimpers into my earpiece.

"There’s already a mountain of paperwork for a missed shot, now you’re telling me there’s two of Payno’s men face first on the floor, and Harry might walk away from this?" More whimpers "Are you trying to kill us? Have you actually become suicidal?" he whined. 

Niall’s iphone buzzed, screen lighting up with a call “Li”

"Oh jesus, we’re as good as dead already"

Harry walked towards the window, face coming into moonlight, as he tore off the remains of his knitted jumper. A laugh echoed out across the avenue between the two buildings, our gaze almost level. 

"I didn’t think you’d have the balls!" He called out. "Still, thank you for the help! Offing those guys could have been alot tougher! Hahaha!" A Cheshire esque grin spreading across his face.

I remained silent in the shadows.

"Why’d you take the job, Lou? If you knew it was me"

Finally, emerging from my spot, I stepped up against the railing, allowing my face to be seen in the city lights. 

'You're supposed to be dead'

"Dead man walking, I guess."

'I went to your funeral, I touched your cold lifeless face in that casket. What're you doing in my city?'

Harry chuckled.

"Don’t you read the paper? This is my city now" 


	2. Liam's bulldogs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to put a face to money

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter two! Louis finally meets the man he's been taking jobs from all these years, and the job who put him face to face with Harry.

4:32 am, Sunday, Downtown

Niall’s hideout was a maintenance room on the rooftop of an Inner city office building. The room itself was refurbished to liveable conditions. It was nothing fancy, concrete floors and white brick walls pocked with ventilation grates that allowed a small view of the outside rooftop, and cast barred shadows across the space, giving the illusion of what living in a jail cell might look like. The entire space being about the size of a university dorm room.

I rapped on the metal door with my fist, almost hoping Niall wouldn’t be home. No such luck.

"The hell took you so long?" The Irishman was visibly distraught, not that I expected otherwise.

My face soured in detest. ‘You realize you’re on the seventeenth floor of an office building? That is now closed, mind you!’ Niall sat down, leaving me standing at the open door, something that was relatively uncommon for the affectionate blonde.

A silence persisted for a couple minutes as I walked about the room, setting my things down, toeing off my tread worn sneakers and taking a spot on the equally worn couch. Niall continued typing away at his computer station. Five mounted monitors surrounded the boy, each displaying a different image or map, along with a sidebar of constantly changing word and number pairs.

My own name remained highlighted and flashing on the third monitor, followed by the number 17, and a blinking text that read “ON DUTY”.

'So how about that tea?' I spoke, trying to break the silence. Niall seemed not to notice. I shrugged, letting my head fall back against the cushions, eyes fluttering shut for a moment of rest and contemplation. I sighed, realizing I'd been awake since 7:00 yesterday's morning.

A pen came whirling through the air, prompting my reflexes and narrowly missing my head before bouncing off the wall behind me. “Do you even care how much shit you’re in right now, Lou?!” The blonde boy stood suddenly. “I’ve been on the phone the past hour with Liam Payne, who says he’s got word to believe you’re setting him up!”

'That's bullshit and we both know it! There's no goddamn way either of us could have known..'

“You did Lou! You knew who he was, and you lied to me! You didn’t even say anything! You willingly walked into a death-trap and you didn’t even warn me.. you didn’t even-” The boys voice cracked with the last note, before he turned away.

'Ni..' I rose from the couch, 'Are you.. '

"You do all this shit, Lou. You act recklessly, telling yourself that it’s your choice to put your own life in danger, and it is, Louis. But you forget it’s me who has to go pick up your body if things go wrong” He pulled his shirt up, over his face.

I placed my hand on his shoulder, ‘Ni, don’t cry..’ The boy swatted my hand away before turning around

"I’m not fuckin’ cryin’, I’m trying to contain myself. Five more seconds and I swear to God I’ll beat you to the oder end of dis city" his accent clear in his emotional state.

He sighed, taking his seat again. “I’m just tired, mate. Li’s not sure if he’s going to let this slide or not and either way I’ve got a million dollars in an offshore bank account for a contract we never even completed.”

'So send it back.'

Ni glared at me “You know Liam Payne doesn’t just take money back. He paid for a service, and he expects what he paid for”

'Styles? I haven't a clue where's gone to..'

"Still in the city, that’s for sure. Liam’s got guys at every bridge."

I remained silent, looking up at the one of the monitors. 5:42 am. I rubbed my eyes, lids beginning to feel heavy.

"Who is this guy?" Niall studied my face inquisitively.

'I don't know'. A moment of time passed before Niall scoffed as if knowing I was lying, but aware I wasn't ready to explain myself.

"Well neither does anybody else. The guys a ghost.. no records, no pictures of him on file, nothing. I don’t even know how the hell he got into the city in the first place, there’s no record of anybody even close to his description passing the border."

'So we'll worry about it tomorrow, Ni. How much damage can one guy down in a night? I've been awake almost twenty four hours and I'd really just love some sleep.'

"Don’t get comfortable. Li told me he’ll be getting in touch soon."

I rolled my eyes, ignoring the warning. ‘Come home with me, Niall. Like old times.’

He stared at me, corners of his lips curling up. “Old times..”

'Please?' I pouted, 'I miss my snuggle partner' tilting my chin downward in my best impression of a puppy-dog face.

"Allllright, alllright. It won’t take much to convince me to get off this couch. But none of this cuddle crap, I’m still getting over what happen last time after Bernie’s "

I laughed with a smile that let my teeth show, slinging my arm across the boy’s shoulder, happy the recent events hadn’t prevented us from putting the stress of work aside.

-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^

1:08 pm, Sunday, Louis’ Flat

"I told you not to get comfortable" as the door to my small master bedroom slowly swung open

'What? How did you even..' My eyes slowly flickered open, groggy with sleep and stung by the sunlight flooding in through the bay windows. Turning over to the empty side of the bed, 'When did you even wake up?' I turned back to Niall, a truly stunning image. Blond hair wet and unruly, naked, save for my pair of grey sweats clinging to his lower half, sagging enough to expose lines of toned muscle that trailed inward at the hips, whispering words of lust into my mind.

“‘Bout an hour ago. C’mon, I saved you some hot water”

'Great' I croaked, sarcastically. Nine hours of sleep and I'm back at it again. 'I'll be up in five'

"Make it two, you’ve got mail"

'What?' Niall exited the room.

I stood infront of the mirror, brushing my teeth and humming, considering why Niall would take the effort to point out I had mail, it was most likely just the daily news, or a bill, or… My eyes shot open. I immediately spat into the sink.

'Jesus' I circled the table, 'It's true'

"What? Liam’s never sent you an appointment card before?"

I shook my head, eyeing the piece that sat before me. A golden pocket watch, with matching gold chain, metal radiating the afternoon’s sunlight with a brilliance that both dazzled and dizzied me. The watch was engraved with the portrait of a large bulldog’s face that seemed to stare straight at me with somber eyes.

'I've heard stories of this before. When he wants to talk he has one of his goons deliver a pocket watch right? Your appointment is scheduled for whatever time the hands are set to.'

Niall nods his head, sipping his tea.

I popped the clock open, revealing a beautifully glassed ivory face, and frowning. ‘Hm, it says 3:00. He doesn’t give you much time, does he?’

I clicked it closed again, imagining what Liam may have to say, and if I should be at all worried about the man with the reputation of a hound.

-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^—^—^—^—^-^—^

2:52 pm, Sunday, 4th Avenue

Among the busy Wall street-esque Fourth Avenue was Liam’s building. An eighty something floor skyscraper that took on the colour of bronze in the sun filled skyline, nestled between various marble floored banks and buzzing stock exchanges. I took a moment to look up, wondering in pure astonishment how much cash was actually circulating through the string of economic super powers around me at any given moment.

The pocket watch ticked 2:56 before a pang of panic seized my throat, forcing my legs forward, into the lobby of the building.

The lobby buzzed with suited men in every direction, coming and going to elevators at all corners of the lobby.

'I'm looking for a.. Mr. Liam Payne?' I asked some what unsure of how to request directions to the office of a major mafia head.

"Who?" The girl said with impatience

'Payne? I was told he was on the ninety sixth floor, I just don't know what elevator that is or..'

"Honey, there’s no Mr. Liam Payne’s here. This building only has eighty floors anyway. Why don’t you try a different part of town. A thing like you could get lost in the uppers." She had already begun moving onto another man before finishing her sentence

'I'm expected' I retorted, slapping the watch on the desk. Her eyes cracked open, body stiffening, before eyeing the bulldog.

"Mr. Payne.. your three o’clock is here" She set the phone back to the ringer, nodding towards me. "My apologies. You can head up now." She said, before walking to another part of the desk.

I looked around, confused as to why she suddenly assumed I’d know where I was going.

Two burly men approached me, one to each of my sides.

'Lovely, you must be my escorts'

They both wore the same off gold colour suits as the men in the apartment from the night before did. Images of Styles standing before the men, guns to their head played before my eyes, executing them as he did their comrades.

"Tomlinson?"

'Yes.'

"Come with us" The man on my left extending his hand towards a group of elevators, as if waiting for me.

I began to walk forward, soles of my shoes clicking against the stone flooring, eyeing the men best I could from my peripherals as they fell in line behind me.

The doors dinged before parting open, seemingly without prompting. I eyed it wearily, before the same man gestured once more, into the elevator. I stepped in cautiously,

'will this ride be all inclusive then?'

followed by my new friends who promptly hit the highest floor and snorted at my remark. Tough crowd.

Upon reaching the eighty fourth floor, the doors dinged once more, but did not open. The one on my left-black hair unkempt and pulled back into a short ponytail-held the eighty fourth button once more, while producing an ID card from his jacket pocket and flashing it before an E-reader at the bottom of the panel. The elevator lurched upward once more.

To my surprise, when the doors opened, there wasn’t a hallway. The elevator opened directly into the office of Liam Payne. I looked into the room, my eyebrows drawing together in confusion over how this building worked architecturally.

"Don’t keep the boss waiting" ponytail said, lightly shoving me forward, into the room. Four more men stood around the central area of the room, making six in total, I mentally noted.

One approached me, holding out a metal detector and wanding down the length of my body. The handheld hummed over my hip.

Liam sat at the end of the room, perched behind a grand mahogany desk, nose tucked into paperwork

'Just a belt buckle' I said, in my most charming tone

"Funny." He retorted, clearly unamused. "Drop them" eyeing the waist of my pants.

'Uhhhh'

"The guns. I don’t ask twice" as he and the other suited men in the room brandished their own silver plated pistols, each engraved with the same bulldog portrait.

'I never go bareback, lads.’

"Ah, leave it be gentlemen." A voice sounded. "That’s no way to treat a guest as esteemed as our own".

Ponytail glared at me as to say “This isn’t over”

Liam stood, prying himself away from his paperwork before pulling down his jacket and readjusting his tie. Gesturing to a red suave chair. “Take a seat, take a seat! I may only be the son of a rich entrepreneur, but that doesn’t mean we have to act like the lifeless drones downstairs, huh boys?” he said with a laugh.”Put those things away, come on, we can all be friends, right?”

The men holstered their weapons.

"Can I get you anything, Louis?"

'I'm fine' I said flatly.

"Ahh, right down to business, huh? I can appreciate that. Well, down to it then. I’m sure you’ve heard stories, "the bulldog of fourth avenue sinking men to the bottom of Lake Perfier over a missed payment." Between you and me, Lou- is it okay if I call you Lou?- the tough guy thing is mostly just an act, you know, to keep people motivated to pay their dues on time. Sure we all have bad days, but I like to think I’m a nice guy.

'Right'

The boy smiled a charming smile

“I’ll tell you what, Louis. You’ve done work for me in the past. Some of my best accomplishments were a direct result of your handywork, actually.” He shrugs. “I’m a man of fairness, so who’s to say one little blip should mess a good friendship up, huh? I’ll even let you keep the money I’ve already wired to you. We’ll call it a motive of good faith! All I ask in return is one thing.”

'If it's in my power to do so..'

The boy smiles widely, leaning in and waiting, as if expecting me to do the same.

I lean forward, meeting the boy's gaze, suddenly drawn to admire his hazel eyes and the curvature of his scruffed jawline, coming to a peak at his sculpted chin, sitting just below his plumpy pink lips. Thoughts cloud the back of my mind like fog obscuring the driver’s view of a road.

"Who is Harry Styles?"

I huffed. ‘That’s just the question of the week isn’t it?’

"He’s certainly grabbed my attention."

'I'm afraid I can't tell you anymore than what Niall has said over the phone. '

"Hm, right. Perhaps something else then? "

I paused, waiting for him to continue. 

"Join me for dinner sometime"

my eyes arched in surprise. I can’t say I was expecting that. 'Do you always ask your hired guns out on dates? First time meeting them in person, none the less.'

Liam let out a hearty chuckle, mouth smiling wide as he leaned back in his chair, resting his hands behind his head in a shrug.

"Only the cute ones. Anyway, maybe it is the first time we've met face to face, but we've been working together many years, You're like an old friend to me - and I've got to say, you look much cuter in person than through a city street security camera."

I let out a slow seductive laugh, 'Oh, so we'd be doing dinner as friends then?'

"Well.. I had other things in mind, but if that's what it takes"

'We'll see, Payne' bouncing a sly wink in his direction as I rose from my seat, turning to head for the elevator. Not that his offer wasn't tempting. Liam had a certain class of charm that certainly made it an appetizing offer, but I wasn't about to make the job easy for him. 'I'm a busy boy these days, keeping the streets clean is a twenty four hour job, you know?'

He smiled. "You came to me, hoping for my mercy and now it seems I'm at yours. I'll call you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, let me know what you think, good, bad, compliments or criticisms, whateves, leave a comment and tell me!  
> Kudos let me know ya care  
> and if you ever want to cry about larry with me, or the boys in general, shoots me an ask over at cupcakesandfanfics.tumblr.com 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Seeyah next time!

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think, and don't be afraid to lay down some harsh critique. If you wana chat, or like to know where I come from visit Cupcakesandfanfics.tumblr.com/ask
> 
> Tell me if I should continue in the comments.


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